Applicants claim priority under 35 U.S.C. xc2xa7119 of German Application No. 201 17 303.4 filed Oct. 25, 2001.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to systems which connect electrical components with each other in a correct or predetermined position.
2. The Prior Art
Devices or systems which connect electrical components with each other are known and common in a variety of diverse embodiments. These systems connect in the correct position various electrical components with each other, including electrical contacts, plugs, multi-contact strips, multipoint plugs and female multipoint connectors as well as printed circuit boards, boards and similar things. These systems perform the function of connecting sensitive electrical conductive components, e.g. multipoint plugs or female multipoint connectors, in the correct position with each other and so that when the components are inserted into each other to make an electrical contact, bending and damaging of the components can be avoided.
Connection systems are known which have a so-called pin which penetrates an opening that is provided in a wall section that usually protrudes sideways over the first electrical component. In order to attach the pin to this first wall section or the first component, a nut is screwed onto the pin on the rear side, i.e. on the side, which points away from the second component. In this way the pin can be replaced, e.g. when there is damage to the pin as the result of incorrect insertion.
Starting from this state of the art, one skilled in the art has the task of improving a connection system so that the pin is arranged at the first component in a way that prevents the pin from being twisted.
For that purpose, the system has a pin, which protrudes over the component on which it is arranged. It protrudes toward the direction where the two components are connected so that the pin can be inserted into a complementary formed socket at the other component. The protruding design of the pin guarantees that the electrical contacts themselves will be connected with each other in the correct position.
In accordance with the invention, a guide system for contact plugs and other electrical components is provided in which the pin is furnished with a flange that projects over the pin at its circumferential surface, the flange is inserted into a recess of a spacer plate complementary to the flange, and the spacer plate is arranged at the wall section of the first electrical component to be connected. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are discussed below.
The central idea of the invention is that with the new guide system, a flange is formed at the pin which protrudes over its circumferential surface. In general, this pin has a generally uniform cross-section over its axial extension. The cross section is extended or changed by projections protruding over the remaining circumferential surface only at the point of the flange. In so doing, this flange is placed in accordance with the invention in a recess of a spacer plate so that the pin is attached to the spacer plate, relative to its longitudinal axis. The pin is thus secure from being twisted relative to the spacer plate. The spacer plate for its part is likewise arranged at the wall section of the first component so as to be secured against twisting with regard to the wall section.
The advantage of the invention is that it avoids an axial twisting of the pin relative to the component on which it is arranged. Also avoided, therefore, is an unintentional loosening of the screw connection made by a nut at the rear side of the wall section.
A socket is arranged on the second component which is to be connected to the first component. The socket has an opening which points in the direction of the pin. This opening is provided with a conical extension, preferably in the form of a funnel. This is done to facilitate the introduction of the pin into the socket. In the same way, the tip of the pin, which points toward the socket, can be formed conically or tapered or rounded.
The spacer plate and/or the socket may also be provided with further alignment devices preferably in the form of projections, in order to get an exact alignment of the two components with respect to each other. For example, these projections may hang over the spacer plate in the direction of the insertion. The alignment device arranged on the socket is furnished with complementary formed projections and/or indentations, which mesh with the projections of the spacer plate. This is done in order to align the two components in the correct position with respect to each other. Thus, the two components can be aligned exactly with respect to each other. The projections or the additional alignment devices are formed so that an exact alignment takes place before the actual connection of the electrical contact elements, e.g. multipoint plugs or female multipoint connectors.
In order for the pin to be resilient, it must be made from a metal so that it can be produced easily, yet economically. In so doing, the electrical pin as well as the socket, in which it is inserted, is preferably electrically contacted in order to create thereby a ground between the two components, in particular before the additional contact elements themselves are connected with each other. Thus, possible damage from the discharge of static electricity is avoided. For that purpose, the socket can either be itself constructed completely of metal with a corresponding connection to the ground or the socket can be formed, or for example layered, at least in sections on the inner side so that it can conduct electricity.
Furthermore, in order to achieve a long-lasting connection of the two components to each other, a reduction or an expansion of the area of the cross-section at the pin may be made so as to form a lock-in projection or slot, which operates together with a correspondingly formed lock-in projection on the inside of the socket. For this reason the lock-in element is formed preferably as a reduction of the area of the cross-section that extends around the pin. Likewise, such lock-in projections/cross-section area reductions can also be arranged at the previously described projections of the additional alignment devices.
To align the pin in the correct position vis-à-vis the spacer plate or the first component, the flange may be formed as two projections on opposite sides of one another in a correspondingly formed recess of the spacer plate. These two radial protruding arms or sections prevent the pin from twisting when the pin is inserted. Conceivably, however, the flange may take any other shape, including round and asymmetrical shapes. For example, the flange may take the form of a polygon, such as a triangle, a rectangle, a pentagon or a hexagon.
In a further embodiment, the spacer plate with the alignment devices arranged on it as well as the socket with correspondingly formed projections/indentations may be made from plastic components each formed of one piece. The plastic components in particular can be manufactured simply in an injection molding process.
In this embodiment, the respective element of the connection device may be attached to the respective wall sections of the components to be connected to each other by inserting further projections into additional openings of these wall sections. The elements can also for example be fastened securely with an additional screw to these wall sections.
When the socket is made from plastic, the electrical contacting for production of a bonding, for example, occurs by providing electrically conductive layers on the inside of the socket so it is correspondingly contacted. As a matter of principle, the socket may also take the form of a pipe and be openly formed on the end opposite the opening, so that the pin projects over the pipe at this other end and, for its part, can be contacted electrically at the second component.
An electrically contacted, mechanical spring is arranged at the socket. This spring penetrates the casing of the socket in order to generate an electrical contact, specifically a grounding contact, between the spring and the pin when the pin is pushed into the socket. In this way a grounding is achieved before the actual electrical contacts touch each other. When the pin is in a retracted position, the spring can also engage an indentation in the pin to lock the spring into place.